Diamond-polishing machine



G. R. WHITEHEAD.

DIAMOND POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1920- I Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

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and so that, the spindle PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. WHITEHEAID, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DIAMOND-POLISHING MACHINE. I

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed April 28, 1920. Serial No. 377,171. n

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. WHITE- HEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Diamond- Polishing' Machines, fully described and represented in the following "specification and the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in machines for cutting or polishing diamonds and similar stones.

In machines of this class a horizontal or fiat wheel or lap is employed on which is placed a polishing agent such as a.mixture of diamond dust and oil. The stone to be cut is held in a device technically known as adop which is adjusted to run in contact surface of the wheel to effect the polishing of the stone. These wheels are necessarily runat very high speeds, and to properly effect the cutting or polishing ofthe facet of the stone these wheels must run perfectly true without any tipping or wab-, blingewhich would result in uneven cutting or polishing of the stone which it is essential to avoid.

In machines of this class as heretofore constructed, difliculty has been experienced in mounting the wheel so that it can run at the high speeds required without tipping or wabbling and being thrown out of true by as for instance, the pressure of an operators hand. Difficulty has also been experienced in oiling the bearings forthe wheel Spindle so that they shall be oiled thoroughly and at the same time not deposit oil on the wheel which would change the consistency of the polishing mediums It is the especial vention to provide a diamond polishing ma chine in which the wheel is mounted seas to firmly and rigidly hold so that it w1ll run perfectly true and not run, out of its h a'construction'isemployed for properlyoiling the bearings o the wheel spindle and sothat excess 011 or other lubricant will? not get on the wheel,

tected from dust and dirt.

A. further object of the invention is to object of the present inf and these bearings will be-so arrange if the operator accidentally puts a little extra pressure on the wheel it will not be earings are pro-' provide a construction in which the polishin wheel may be readily removed from its spindle so that if for any reason it is necessary to renew or repair a wheel the same can be quickly removed and another wheel placed in position without changing the bearing adjustment of thespindle, thus 0bviating a considerable loss in time, which is desirable in this class of machines.

With these and other objects not specifically referred to in view, the invention consists in certain novel parts and arrangements which will be fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and claimed in the claims hereunto annexed.

. In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section partly broken away of so much of a diamond polishing machine as is necessary for an understanding of the invention; and

Fig. 2 isa perspective view of one of the spindle bearings showing the preferred type of bearing used.

Referring now to these drawings,"'1 indicates a frame which maybe a part of the .bench or work table. Secured to this frame by a bolt 2 is a bracket arm 3 having a split end 4 provided with a holdingrecess 5, the ends being arranged to beclamped together by a bolt 6 and nut 7. This bracket forms a support on which the mechanism hereinafter referredto is mounted.

The wheel is indicated at 8. This wheel may be of the usual construction which is in the form of a heavy fiat metal plate on which the polishing. agent is placed. This wheel has or may have a central depression 9 for collecting such of the polishing agent as may be directed thereinto by the spin of the wheel. lap is the dop or stone holder, indicated at 10, this dop being supported from an arm ll.

This wheel is mounted so that it will run perfectly true and have no tipping or wabs bling motion, and further in strong rigid bearings so as to have the least vibritilpn,

t at

pulled out of its bearings and forced out of true. I While the specific construction for efieet- Cooperating with this wheel or" obviating a read ustment of ing this maybe varied, there will be provided a driving spindle 12. This driving spindle will be provided with spaced bearings both located below the wheel so that oil or other lubricant will not get on the wheel from the bearings. This spindle furthermore, will be driven through driving connections which are independent of the spindle and so that what side pull there is on the spindle will-come close to the upper end, so as-to prevent as far as possible any wabbling or'tipping. As illustrated, there is provided a sleeve 13 which forms thesupport for the wheel and to which the wheel is clamped or otherwise rigidly secured. To provide a wide bearing surface for the wheel and thus a firm support, the sleeve 13 is formed with a wide top in the form of a flange 14 on which the wheel seats, and this sleeve above the flange will be provided with a collar 15 which fits snugly in a central opening 16 formed in the wheel, this .preventing displacement of the wheel from its seat on the sleeve.

The wheel is clamped orotherwise secured to this sleeve in any suitable manner, so that it may be put-in position and removed with out disturbing the spindle orbearings, thus In the particular construction illustrated,

; the sleeve has acentral tapered aperture, and

the upper end of the .spindle 12 is corre- .spondingly tapered and driven into the 35.

sleeve, the spindle being thus rigidly secured thereto. The spindle is extended beyond the sleeve and has a reduced threaded end 17. The wheel is formed with a central boss 18 the ends of which take against shoulders 19 of a locking plate 20 whichis'provided with a. central opening 21 so that the end of the spindle may ass therethrough. An internally threaded locking ca'p 22'is screwed on to the threaded end of the spindle and when screwed down, through the locking plate 20,

. rigidly locks the wheel against any displacement in its seat on the sleeve.

The spindle is, as before stated, supported in upper and lower bearings, and thesebearings in the best constructions, will be adjustable so that any wear may be taken up.

Furthermore, means will be provided for thoroughly lubricating both these bearings. While the particular bearing construction employed may be varied, as shown, there is which is tubular in shape and capacitated to form a support for the bearings and spindle and provides sufiicient space for a required amount of oil or other lubricant. This casing is located below the top of the sleeve and extends loosely into a recess 24 in the sleeve and to a point near the top, this construction tending to keep dust and dirt out of the casing and away from the bearings; This casthe bearings when a wheelis changed.

thickened portions 25, the inner walls of which are oppositely inclined, as indicated at 26 and 27. Cooperating with these inclined ends of the casingare bearings 28, 29, the outer walls of which are inclined or beveled corresponding to the incline of the parts 26 and 27, and these bearings are, as shown at 30, split so that the bearings can be wedged tight in position and adjusted to take up wear. These bearings may be ad justed in any suitable manner, as by the provision of upper and lower threaded rings 31, 31 which are screwed into threaded portions 32 formed in the upper and lower ends of the casing and which abut against the ends of the bearings before referred to.

In the best constructions, an end thrust or stepv bearing will be provided on which the end of the spindle rests and on which it rotates. While the particular form of this bearing may be var1ed,as shown the spindle has a flat end 33 which rests on a block 34 of lignum vitae or other hard wood, this block being seated in a closing cap 35 vertically adjustable in the end of the casing.

In constructions embodying the inventibn, means are provided for thoroughly oiling the upper and lower bearings, and in this construction, thesemeans will preferably be provision of grooves 37 formed in the bear ings 28, 29, before referred to, and a groove 38 formed around the spindle above the bearing 28. As the spindle rotates the oil is drawn up between it and the blocks to the top of the bearing 28 where it is stopped by the groove and. returned down through the casing through the grooves 37 in the bearing. Means are also provided for lubricating the end thrust bearing, which in the particular construction illustrated, comprises a channel 39 bored through the block, this channel communicating with the bottom 'of the casing.

In order that the spindle shall be driven with the least tendency to throw it out of line, in the best constructions, the spindle is driven indirectly, that is, there is no direct pull on the spindle. While this may be effected in various ways, as shown, the sleeve just below the bottom of the frame 1 is provided with a pulley 40 with which cooperates a belt 41 driven from any suitable source of change of Wheels, and

power, not shown, this having been found in ractice to be a very effective way of driving the Wl188l.'

With the construction and arrangement of arts shown, it will be seen that a very efective mounting for the wheel has been provided, and one which permits of the quick in which the wheel is so supported'asto be free from tip or wabble, and at the same time permitting thorough oiling of the wheel spindle bearings.

While the construction shown and described is a preferred one, it will be understood that certain changes and variations maybe made therein without departing from the invention as defined in. the claims annexed hereto.

What I claim is- 1. In. a diamond polishingmachine, the combination of a horizontal polishing wheel, a sleeve located below the wheel, means for securing the wheel to the sleeve, a spindle fast to the sleeve, means for driving the sleeve, a lubricant holding casing below the wheel, upper and lower bearings in the easing in which the spindle rotates, and means for lubricatingboth bearings.

2. In a diamond polishing machine, the

combination of a horizontal polishing wheel,

a sleevelocated below'the wheel, means for securing the wheel to the sleeve, fast to the sleeve, means for driving the sleeve, a lubricant holding casing below the wheel, upper and lower spaced bearings in the caslng 1n which the, spindle rotates, and means for circulating lubricant through the beaings and casing. V

3. In a diamond polishing machine, the combination of a horizontal polishing wheel,

- a sleeve having a wide supporting surface on which the wheel is supported, means for clamping the wheel to the surface, means for driving the. sleeve, a lubricant holding casing below the wheel, a spindle fast to the sleeve, and bearings in the sleeve in which the spindle rotates, one of said mem-' here being provided with passages through which the lubricant may pass tothe casing after lubricating both bearings.

4. In a diamond polishing machine, the combination of a horizontal polishing wheel, a, sleeve having a flanged top on which the wheel is supported, a spindle fast to the sleeve and having a threaded portion above the flange, a screw cap cooperating with the spindle for clamping the wheel to the flange, a pulley on the sleeve below the wheel, a lubricant holding casing below the top of the sleeve, and upper justable bearings provided with passages through which lubricant may pass to the casing after lubricating the bearings,

5. In a polishing machine, the combination of a horizontal polishing wheel, a spindle to which the wheel is secured, a lubricant holding casing below the wheel, upper fast to the sleeve,

through a spindle and lower adforming a support and means located between the bearings for driving the sleeve.

6. In a diamond polishing machine, the combination of a horizontal polishing wheel, a sleeve located below the wheel having a wide top flange on which the wheel is supported, means for clamping the wheel to the sleeve, a spindle having an upward taper a pulley on the sleeve through which it is driven, a lubricant holding casing below the top of the sleeve, upper and lower tapered split bearings for the spindle in the casing having 'oil passages which oil may be circulated for oiling the spindle, an end thrust bearing on which the spindle rotates, and a passage from the casing through the bearing for oiling it. I

7. In a diamond polishing machine, the

combination of a horizontal polishing wheel,

a sleeve located below the wheel and having I a wide top flange on which the wheel is supported, means for clamping thewheel to the flange, a spindle fast to.the sleeve, means for driving the sleeve, a lubricant holding casing located below the top of the sleeve,

upper and lower adjustable bearings in the casing' in which the spindle rotates, and

means for effecting a circulation of lubricant through the casing and both bearings for effecting the lubrication thereof.

8. In a diamond polishing machine, the,

combination of a horizontal polishing wheel, 7

a sleeve located below the wheel and having a wide supporting surface on which the wheel rests',,means for clamping the wheel to the sleeve, a spindle fast to the sleeve, means for driving the sleeve, a lubricant holding casing below the wheel, spaced bearings in the casing in which the spindle rotates, means for oiling both bearings, a frame, and a bracket depending from the frame in which the casing is adjustably mounted.

9. In a diamond polishing machine, the combination of a horizontal polishing wheel,- a sleeve having a wide top on which the wheel is supported, a spindle fast to the sleeve, means for' clamping the wheel to the sleeve, means for driving the sleeve, a lubricant holding casing below the top of the sleeve, and upper and lower adjustable bearings provided with passages through which lubricant may pass to the casing after lubri- V eating the bearings.

l .10. In a diamond polishing machine, the

having a wide top for a wheel, a flat polishing wheel secured to the sleeve, a lubricant holding casing having a closed bottom 133 combination of a sleeve and extending loosely into the sleeve close to the top, upper and lower spaced bearings in the casing, a spindle supported in the bearings and fast to the sleeve, and means for driving the sleeve.

11. In a diamond polishing machine, the combination of a sleeve having a wide top forming a support for a polishing wheel, a polishing wheel secured to the sleeve, a lubricant holding casing having a closed bottom and extending loosely into the sleeve close to the top, upper and lower bearings in the casing provided with passages through which lubricant may pass to the 15 casing after lubricating the bearings, a spindle supported in the bearings and fast to the sleeve, and means for driving the sleeve.

12. In a diamond polishing machine, the combination of a sleeve having a closed wide top forming a support for a polishing wheel,

a polishing wheel secured to the sleeve, a

lubricant holding casing having a closed bottom and extending loosely into the sleeve close tothe top, upper and lower adjustable bearings in the casing providedwith passages through which lubricant may pass to the casing after lubricating the bearings, a spindle supported in the bearings and fast to the sleeve at its upper end, and a pulley on the sleeve for driving it.

13. In a polishing machine, the combination of a horizontal polishing wheel, a spindle to which the wheel is secured, a lubricant holding casing below the wheel, upper and lower bearings in the casing in which the spindle rotates, the outer surface of the bearings .being tapered and the inner surface straight, said bearings being spaced apart to provide an oil reservoir .therebetion of a horizontal tion of a horizontal polishing wheel, a spindle to which the wheel is secured,- a

lubricant holding casing below the wheel,

a frame, a split bracket extending below the frame in which the casing is adjustably mounted, spaced hearings in the casing in which the spindle rotates, means for adjusting each bearing independently of the other in the casing, a sleeve surrounding the easing to which the spindle is secured, and means located between the bearings 'for driving the sleeve.

15. In a polishing machine, the combination with a horizontal frame, a fiat polishing wheel mounted closely adjacent the top .Of theframe, a spindle on which the wheel is secured, a lubricant holding casing below the frame, upper and lower hearings in the casing in which the spindle rotates, a sleeve by which the spindle is rotated, and a pulley on the sleeve for rotating it and located beneath the frame and between the bearings.

16. In a polishing machine, the combinapolishing wheel, a spindle to which the wheel is secured, a lubricant holding casing below the wheel, spaced bearings in the casing in which the spindle rotates independentlyadjustable, a sleeve exterior of the casing, and means for driving the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. GEORGE R. WHITEHEAD, 

